20 March 2025
13:00 – 16:00 (ET)
Virtual – Microsoft Teams
Service Excellence and Transition Advisory Group Members
- Julia-Joseph Burke, CD
- Dr. Darryl Cathcart (co-chair)
- Deanna Fimrite, Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada
- Steve Graham, RCMP Veterans’ Association
- Master Warrant Officer (Retired) Michael Hogan
- Lieutenant (Retired) Carolyn Hughes, Royal Canadian Legion
- Master Warrant Officer (Retired) Floyd Powder, Métis Veteran Council
Canadian Armed Forces Representative
- Lieutenant Colonel Michael Draho, Liaison Officer to Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Armed Forces
Observer
- Laura Kelly, Office of the Veterans Ombud
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
- Yasmin Adania Veiga, Québec Desk
- Jared Valdes, Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Atlantic Regional Affairs Advisor
Presenters
- Pamela Harrison, Director General, Community Engagement, Veterans Affairs Canada
- Joel Pederson, Senior Operations Manager, Indigenous Veterans Team, Veterans Affairs Canada
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Officials
- Nathalie Pham, Director General, Field Operations
- Kristy McGuigan, Senior Analyst, Community Engagement
- Elizabeth Hughes, Project Officer, Community Engagement
- Megan MacKinnon, Program Operations Assistant, Community Engagement
- Brianne Murphy-Spurr, Communications Officer
Regrets
- Corporal (Retired) Sylvain Chartrand, Canadian Veterans Advocacy
- Warrant Officer (Retired) Jessica Hewett (co-chair)
- Corporal (Retired) Bruce Moncur
Land acknowledgement and welcome remarks
The VAC co-chair welcomed the Advisory Group members and thanked them for their attendance. The co-chair provided a land acknowledgement, recognizing that she joined the meeting from the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation. The group paused to consider how they could contribute to the reconciliation efforts.
Presentation and Questions – Equity Deserving Veterans (Women and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans)
Pamela Harrison, Director General of Community Engagement delivered a presentation focused on fostering meaningful engagement with Women Veterans and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans, discussing the gaps they face and the progress made in addressing these gaps, with the goal of achieving greater equity for all Veterans. Members posed questions concerning the need to ensure that the group's efforts are not being duplicated by other VAC advisory groups, and that clear lines of communication are established across all groups. Members also emphasized the importance of defining the term "equity-deserving," improving overall communication, and emphasized the significance of ongoing work related to the Table of Disability and the Entitlement Eligibility Guidelines.
Presentation and Questions – Equity Deserving Veterans (Indigenous Veterans)
Joel Pederson, Senior Operations Manager, Indigenous Veterans Team provided an overview of the work of the Indigenous Veterans Engagement Team at Veterans Affairs Canada. He highlighted the team's engagements since establishing in May 2023, shared key insights from Indigenous Veterans, outlined existing gaps, and reviewed the team's path forward. Following the presentation, members provided thoughtful comments on the unique barriers faced by Indigenous Veterans, acknowledging the challenges these individuals encounter. They expressed appreciation for the efforts undertaken by VAC to build relationships and foster trust within Indigenous communities.
Presentation – Royal Canadian Legion – Connecting and Accessing Service from VAC
Carolyn Hughes provided an overview of the Royal Canadian Legion and the services they provide to Veterans. She discussed the supports offered to Veterans and highlighted both the successes and challenges faced by the organization. She also emphasized their efforts in advocating for Veterans. The key advocacy items presented include adapting research on traumatic brain injury, improving communication about partial entitlements, and examining the differences in financial benefits between the Pension Act and the Veterans Well-being Act. Following the presentation, the group expressed gratitude for the important work done by the Royal Canadian Legion and acknowledged the challenges the organization faces.
Co-chairs Summary on VAC's Current Service Delivery Model Plenary Session
The VAC co-chair provided a debrief from the plenary session. The session covered service points, service delivery channels, and how to access programs and services.
Group strength-based discussion
The co-chairs presented several discussion questions for the group’s consideration. It was agreed that the questions will be distributed to all members to collect feedback. The member co-chair emphasized the importance of reviewing the provided information, considering current knowledge and personal experience, and keeping the mandate in mind when answering questions. The collected responses will be compiled and shared with the group, ensuring that everyone’s insights are considered as we continue to move forward with our work toward forming recommendations.
Closing Remarks and Next Steps
The VAC co-chair offered closing statements and thanked all of the members for attending. She recognized the engaging presentations that provided important information for the group to consider.